One-dimensional to one-dimensional tunnelling between electron waveguides

Abstract

We report the observation of controlled electron tunnelling between two closely spaced one-dimensional (1D) electron waveguides implemented using a split-gate scheme on a high mobility AlGaAs/GaAs heterostructure. The 1D to 1D tunnelling current shows a distinct bumpy pattern when the electronic subband population in the two waveguides is modulated. These results are consistent with a picture in which tunnelling primarily occurs when the 1D subbands in both waveguides line up in energy as expected from energy and momentum conservation rules.